METI (Messaging to Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) is
an activity, which I believe to be an inherent attribute of advanced
civilizations. In order to account for the true prevalence of communicative
civilizations (that is, those that engage in METI), I suggest we introduce a METI
factor fm into the classical Drake
Equation. In this case, the modified Drake Equation takes on the following form:

N = R* × fp
× ne × fl × fi × fc
× fm × L

where

N = The number of potentially
detectable civilizations in the Milky Way Galaxy

R* = The rate of formation
of stars in the Galaxy

fp = The fraction of those
stars with planetary systems

ne = The number of planets
per solar system that are suitable for life

fm = The fraction of communicative
civilizations with clear and non-paranoid planetary consciousness (that is, those
which actually engage in deliberate interstellar transmission)

L = The “lifetime”
over which such civilizations transmit detectable signals into space.

Let us try to estimate fm. Since we do not adhere
to the anthropocentric position, we should proceed from the assumption that
Earth’s consciousness is not essentially different from that of others. Then
the METI factor fm should be quite small, about 0.01. This
figure derives from the fact that our civilization has engaged in about 100
past and current SETI programs (see, for example, Jill Tarter’s "Archive
of SETI", SETI 2020 Roadmap, pp. 381-425), and only one
METI Program (at the Evpatoria Radar Telescope). Moreover, if we assume
that an isolationist tendency prevails around the Universe, akin to that stated
in Michael Michaud’s recent editorial
"Active SETI Is Not Scientific Research", and if we agree
with his reasons, than we could say the METI factor fm would be much
smaller than 0.01, perhaps close to zero. But in that case, N is close to zero
too, and SETI does not make any sense!

From this follows the next SETI Paradox:
"Both We and They must either engage in both SETI
and METI, or do nothing."

It is important to emphasize that the SETI pioneers sensed
this dichotomy, and have paid attention to both SETI and METI. Philip Morrison
recalls in "My Forty Years of SETI" that Giuseppe Cocconi
came to him in 1958 with a question: "We already make gamma-ray beams. Why
not send them out across space to see if anyone out there can detect
them?" Frank Drake and Carl Sagan developed and actualized the Pioneer
Plaque, Arecibo Message, and Voyager
Record. Nobel Laureate Andrey Sakharov wrote in “Questionnaire CETI"
in 1971: "I would like to notice the importance of designing and,
especially, accomplishing practical projects directed to sending signals. This
is the only way to understand subtle problems of contacts. Here, as it always
happens, egoists end up with failure." At JPL, Steven Ostro wrote in "Project
Moonbeam: An Omnidirectional Radio Beacon for the Lunar Farside" in 1989:
"We might conclude that it is better to give than to receive, and that the war
on silence must begin at home."

In this way, the classical Participatory Anthropic Principle: "Observers are necessary to
bring the Universe into being", which was first put forth by
John Wheeler in 1983, gains additional strength: "Senders are necessary to
bring consciousness into the Universe." In other words, –
intelligent low-entropic METI signals represent a conscious participation in
the observable structure of the Universe.

"Only we who help in overcoming the Great Silence
deserve to hear the voice of the Cosmos…"